Stacking Flaming and Shocking?

[Boone]

Well, it does take an action it make each one active, so ig you want to waste the forst 2 rounds of combat then go for it. Personally, I really don't have a problem with allowing both of these on the same item.

FROM CALIBAN The main issue is that it takes a standard action to activate each energy type. (They activate upon command.) Unless you have a Glove of Storing, it can take a few rounds to power your weapon up to full effectiveness.

Ya I read the DMG pg 175.... about command words and yet some how activating these functions on a weapon does not seem to be in the ball park of taking a standard action round to complete.

And taking a few rounds to get up to full effectiveness? Please... So Wizard can cast a fire ball seemingly instanctly that explodes for many points of damage but the magic sword he creates needs to charge up?

The use of command word on a weapon should be a free action... if you want to meet in the middle you can say that the effect does not set in until the 2nd round but that character does not have to spend the whole round "juicing up" his sword. The thought of a character buring two rounds to "fire up" the big dog is just silly and petty. A Character should have no problem uttering to command words in the course of his other actions in the round.

 

[Crothian]

Ya I read the DMG pg 175.... about command words and yet some how activating these functions on a weapon does not seem to be in the ball park of taking a standard action round to complete.

And taking a few rounds to get up to full effectiveness? Please... So Wizard can cast a fire ball seemingly instanctly that explodes for many points of damage but the magic sword he creates needs to charge up?

The use of command word on a weapon should be a free action... if you want to meet in the middle you can say that the effect does not set in until the 2nd round but that character does not have to spend the whole round "juicing up" his sword. The thought of a character buring two rounds to "fire up" the big dog is just silly and petty. A Character should have no problem uttering to command words in the course of his other actions in the round.

You are of course free to Rule 0 any of this. Ity's not a whole round to activate, just a standard action. You still have your move action, and you can also have Haste spell on you which allows you to do even more. Basically, this is a balancing factor of these weapons. Like it or not, use it or not, it's the rules.

 

[kreynolds]

The use of command word on a weapon should be a free action...

Sorry, it's not. You can house rule weapons though.

if you want to meet in the middle you can say that the effect does not set in until the 2nd round but that character does not have to spend the whole round "juicing up" his sword.

It only takes one action to activate a flaming weapon, 2 actions if flaming/frost, 3 actions if flaming/frost/acid, 4 actions if flaming/frost/acid/sonic, etc. One action per energy enhancement. Not one round. It's not that bad.

The thought of a character buring two rounds to "fire up" the big dog is just silly and petty.

Like I said, you can house rule it, but it does make a bit o' sense that the more enhancements you have the longer it takes to activate the item.

A Character should have no problem uttering to command words in the course of his other actions in the round.

Sure they should, as command word activated items use a standard action, but like I said, you can house rule it. Personally, I don't have a problem with needing 4 actions to activate my flaming/shocking/acidic/sonic longsword, especially since that longsword will deal 1d8+(Str)+(Enhancement bonus)+1d6(fire)+1d6(electricity)+1d6(acid)+1d6(sonic) on every single hit.

 

[kreynolds]

You are of course...

Damn you. You beat me to the punch.

 

[Caliban]

Ya I read the DMG pg 175.... about command words and yet some how activating these functions on a weapon does not seem to be in the ball park of taking a standard action round to complete.

Good. Now read the DMG page 184-185, Activation, last sentence: "If a weapon has a special ability that the user needs to activate, then the user usually needs to utter the command word (a standard action)."

Since you have to command the flaming ability to activate, it obviously falls under the command word activation clause.

And taking a few rounds to get up to full effectiveness? Please... So Wizard can cast a fire ball seemingly instanctly that explodes for many points of damage but the magic sword he creates needs to charge up?

Yes. And once charged up the magic sword stays fully effective until the wielder deactivates it. The fireball is only usefull for that one round.

The use of command word on a weapon should be a free action...

You may want it to be, but it is not.

if you want to meet in the middle you can say that the effect does not set in until the 2nd round but that character does not have to spend the whole round "juicing up" his sword. The thought of a character buring two rounds to "fire up" the big dog is just silly and petty.

And some DM's think that having a weapon that does +2d6 or more in energy damage is silly and munchkin, but that doesn't change the fact that this is the way it works in the core rules.

A Character should have no problem uttering to command words in the course of his other actions in the round.

You can say the command words all you want, but actually activating an item with the command word requires a Standard Action.

The way I run it, saying the command word is only part of it. You also have to "will" the item to activate as you do so, and that accounts for the extra time required. (This isn't the explanation they use in the core rules, but it's the only way I can logically rationalize the time required to activate an item when you are only saying a word or two.)

 

[Crothian]

Damn you. You beat me to the punch.

One of the few things were finishing fast is actually a good thing.

 

[kreynolds]

One of the few things were finishing fast is actually a good thing.

LOL Touche!

 

[Boone]

I realize that it is a core rule... since it came out of the DMG.

I figured that "house" rule was implied since oppinion was being stated... hence the use of "I think" before the rules suggestions that I made.

I missed the part where oppinions should be left out... my mistake.

Good. Now read the DMG page 184-185, Activation, last sentence: "If a weapon has a special ability that the user needs to activate, then the user usually needs to utter the command word (a standard action)."

[QUOTE]
The way I run it, saying the command word is only part of it. You also have to "will" the item to activate as you do so, and that accounts for the extra time required. (This isn't the explanation they use in the core rules, but it's the only way I can logically rationalize the time required to activate an item when you are only saying a word or two.)
[/QUOTE]

Once again I question the time and energy put into bringing this "activation" into effect. Some one has roclaimed "balance" is the issue.... Tell me what is wrong with uttering the command word as a free action (don't insult the situation by pointing out the core rules it is pretty obvious what the rule is, if you want to repsond give a thought out reason why it couldn't or shouldn't because "because" is not why I proposing the question) performing any other action in that round including combat and then having the item fully activated on the following round?

 

[Caliban]

I realize that it is a core rule... since it came out of the DMG.

I figured that "house" rule was implied since oppinion was being stated... hence the use of "I think" before the rules suggestions that I made.

I missed the part where oppinions should be left out... my mistake.

Sorry, it didn't look like you were voicing an opinion, it looked like you were saying that the command word activation didn't apply to the flaming weapon ability.

The way I run it, saying the command word is only part of it. You also have to "will" the item to activate as you do so, and that accounts for the extra time required. (This isn't the explanation they use in the core rules, but it's the only way I can logically rationalize the time required to activate an item when you are only saying a word or two.)


Once again I question the time and energy put into bringing this "activation" into effect. Some one has proclaimed "balance" is the issue.... Tell me what is wrong with uttering the command word as a free action (*whining snipped*), performing any other action in that round including combat and then having the item fully activated on the following round?

*shrug* What's right about it? Why is it better to have it work that way?

If it really bothers you, go get a Glove of Storing for 2,000 gp and keep the weapon in there. Now you can pull it out as a free action, and have it fully activated.

 

[Sigma]

I realize that it is a core rule... since it came out of the DMG.



Once again I question the time and energy put into bringing this "activation" into effect. Some one has roclaimed "balance" is the issue.... Tell me what is wrong with uttering the command word as a free action (don't insult the situation by pointing out the core rules it is pretty obvious what the rule is, if you want to repsond give a thought out reason why it couldn't or shouldn't because "because" is not why I proposing the question) performing any other action in that round including combat and then having the item fully activated on the following round?

Well, it does take multiple rounds to 'spell up' normally. A wizard who wants to have shield and mirror image on before entering combat still has to use actions to either cast the spells or use a wand. Why should a melee type get a free ride when everyone else has to spend time prepping.

Is it game-breaking? Probably not. Is there a compelling reason to make such a change. Not in my opinion. It's a flavor issue, and not all that important. If it seems as though a command word should be easy to mutter, go with what Caliban says about having to concentrate (which is also implied by the fact that activating an item provokes an AoO if I remember correctly.)